theHousePlanner

Green Building
Materials:

What materials can you build with in
an environmentally sensitive way? The sites below will guide
you in your choice. When choosing materials, consider both the
source (is it naturally renewable, whether the manufacturing
process avoids the production of harmful by products), distribution
(is it locally produced) and also disposal at the end of its
useful life (can it be re-used, is it biodegradable). For useful
guidance on the choice of materials, visit the National
Green Specification website. Pictured opposite is Greenshop
-home to suppliers of a number of Eco Products, including solar
power, natural paints and rainwater harvesting.

How materials are used is
also important -for example bricks laid in lime mortar can be
easily cleaned and re-used whereas those using cement mortar
cannot. Similarly finishes that are stuck down are inevitably
destroyed by removal, often damaging the substrate too.

Old House Store
-builders merchant for traditional and ecological materials -their
philosophy is based on the sympathetic and authentic conservation/
repair of old buildings, but the ecological basis of their products
makes them equally suitable for new-build projects.

Panel
Agency -specialise
in development, marketing and distribution of wood based products
with an emphasis on environmental sourcing -hardwoods, softwoods,
glulam and panel systems.

Renewal
-recycled carpet tyles of re-cycled Nylon yarn with natural minerals
and rubber backing -claims to be the only carpet tile in the
world awarded an ISO 14024 eco label.

South East Wales Sustainable Building
Centre -based in Cardiff
the not-for-profit centre offers a variety of eco building products
such as Auro, Osmo, EarthBorn, Lindab, ARU windows, Warmcel insulation
etc, as well as other eco building information.

Womersleys -originally established to provide
a range of building materials for the refurbishment of historic
buildings, they now supply non-hazardous materials suitable for
natural building, including plaster, render, insulation and decoration.